In the darkness, he wasn’t able to find the tell tale sign of the others passing. He was going to have to wait until the morning to trail them. By then, they could be several miles away.
Suddenly he remembered the dirt bike he’d come across a couple of weeks back. For some reason, he knew the bike had something to do with this.

He knew where that bike was. He didn’t need a trail. Striking out into the darkness, he prayed he was right.

Sarge pushed the woman to the ground. "Stay put," he commanded. Watching her, he made himself comfortable as he could. Using the bag for a pillow, he thought about Mexico. He was in the clear.
It wouldn’t be long before he would be lying on the beach of Acapulco or someplace down there soaking up the sun.

Pleased with himself, he looked to the woman close to him. She wasn’t a bad looking woman. He thought of the money in the bag. Maybe with a little incentive, she could be prompted to go with
him.

Star light played on Marie’s blonde hair. The shadows seemed to form about her body. Though nothing showed out, he could see the outlines of her breast, the curvature of her neck.

"You know if you played your cards right, I might take you with me out of here." Rising, he crossed to her. Sitting next to her, he played his hand down her arm. "You know it’s going to get
chilly tonight. We could keep each other warm."

Marie jerked away from his touch. Getting to her feet, she crossed the little spot he had chosen.

"I would rather freeze."

Jumping up, he crossed to her. "Listen bitch. I could take you anytime I wanted." He crossed back to the bag. Opening it, he pulled some of the money out. "Some of this could be yours. All I
want is for you to be friendly tonight." Her silence was his answer. Returning to her side, he grabbed her and forced her to face him.

His kiss was one of rage. One she had no intention of returning. She could feel his teeth bite into her lips. He lowered his head to the cleavage of her breast. His hot breath made her skin
crawl as he suckled one of her breast mounds. She could feel his hands feel her body in lust.

His hands rose to her breast. Gripping the flimsy material of her already torn blouse, he ripped it from her body. Marie began to rebel. She tried to knee his groin , but he was too fast and
moved his leg in the way. His laugh was one of evil as he pushed her to the ground. Though she bravely fought him, he covered her body with his.

She feigned into getting worked up. As she felt his hand reach for the zipper of his pants, she whispered, "Let me help." She freed his penis of it’s restraints. "That’s it bitch! " he growled
as his lips once again sought sought her golden orbs through her bra. "Stroke it!"

Her fingers wrapped the organ. Long finger nails bit into the flesh of the muscle. With all her strength, she gripped the penis letting her nails sink deep into the organ’s flesh.

Sarge screamed in pain and rolled away from her. The instant his weight freed her body, Marie leaped to her feet and ran. She didn’t care where she was running but she had to get away from him.
Thorns ripped her clothing as she ran into under brush.

"You bitch!" she heard him scream behind her. "I’ll get you. I promise I’ll get you."

This only spurred her farther into the darkness. Suddenly, the A.K. split the night air. She could hear the bullets splat against trees surrounding her. Crying, she fell to the ground. Again
Sarge split the night with the deadly rifle.

"When I catch you I’ll peel your hide off your body."

A hand touched her shoulder. Startled she rose to her knees ready to fight. He pinned her arms to her body until her fright subsided. "It’s me." he kept whispering to her. "It’s me. You’re
going to be alright. It’s me."

Finally, his words soaked into her brain. Slowly, her fright washed away. Sobbing, she gripped his chest to her . Gently, he stroked her back. "You’ll be alright now," he kept saying. "You’ll
be fine."

Joe Nichols shot a round into the wavering flames of the fire. "This is the State Forestry Department, "Lay your guns to the side and come out." his answer was several rounds splitting the
trees over their head. He cautioned the girls to keep down.

"Hey ranger," a call came to him, "Let us go and we’ll leave the girls behind. If you don’t I’m going to split this little cutie like she was a ripe melon." A scream filled the night air. "That
was a finger. The next will be one of these little titties." again a scream filled the night.

"Alright, alright," he yelled, "just don’t harm the girls." Silently, he told the two girls to stay where they were. Standing, he called out, "I’m coming in." a rifle shot racketed the night.
Joe was slung back against a tree. A voice yelled in the darkness. " You ain’t going anywhere!"

The night quieted down for more than an hour. Feverishly, the two girls worked on the ranger’s shoulder. "I’m afraid it’s broken," Maggie whispered to Lorie. "God, I wished I knew what to do
for him."

"I know", Lorie answered as she stroked the ranger’s head. "I know." She reached for the .06. Raising the weapon, she pulled the trigger. "At least they’ll think he’s still alive."

"Where in the hell did that come from. I thought you shot that ranger."

" I did. I know I hit him. I saw his shadow fall."

"He’s alive and well, you bastards, tomorrow at daylight he’s coming after you!"